Plumbing Posts

The Storage type – a cylinder – is usually mounted inside or outside on the floor or ground.
They all have instructions on how to light them, but you may not understand them.
We help many people over the phone and know the frustration.
The valve that controls lighting is at the lower front of the unit.
The process uses the knob on top of the unitrol valve above the large thermostat knob. It has “off” or “Pilot” and “On” written on it.
Or it has a spark, a round dot, and a flame.
Next to that is the pilot button, which is usually red. There is usually a spark button as well.

The steps are, using the top knob – 

1. Turn the control valve off first, and wait for 5 minutes to clear any unburnt gas.
2. Press tab on the side of knob down. Turn the knob on the control valve to the pilot or spark symbol.
3. Press the pilot button on the side of the knob, and HOLD down until I tell you to let go.
4. Press the spark button down until you hear it click about 5 times. If there is no spark button, then it is safe to light the pilot with a lit paper taper or with a long match ( not a wax taper). Or you can use one of the gas matches from the supermarket.
5. Where exactly do you light the pilot? You will see three tubes running down from the control valve to underneath. Follow the two outside ones, which eventually join together. This is where the pilot flame lights. It is safe to put a flame there.
6. The pilot should have lit by now if you are holding the pilot button down. You can check by looking deep inside the burner chamber after taking the cover off.
7. You should still have your finger pressing down on the pilot button. Keep pressing down until you know the pilot has been going for 15 seconds. Then release the pilot button, and it should stay alight.
8. Then turn to the control knob to “on”, and the main burner should light if the thermostat is turned up to hot.
9. If not, then repeat from step 2.
10. If this fails, then the water heater could be faulty – call us for service.

We are the disaster experts we can set up the  basics below if required. Be prepared before disaster strikes so that you can come out the best possible.

Earthquake Preparation

• First Aid Kit.
• Phone recharger battery type as there is not likely to be power.
• Chimney removal and flash roof.
• Water shut off valve where you can find it.
• Gas Shut off valve where you can turn it off before the leaking gas catches fire.
• Auto shut off valve for gas if the pipe breaks. Not commonly done but its an option.
• Hot water cylinder secured to wall.
• Have you got a sheet of polythene for collecting water. And you don’t need to boil the water either. Works at night too when its not raining catching dew.
• A primus so you can boil the water, and water proof matches or a lighter.
• Water containers.
• Do you know how to get the water from your hot water cylinder?
• Big container for water. And yes we can install large tanks to catch rainwater. In Christchurch weeks out from the quake a large proportion is still with out water.
• Have you got your next door neighbours cell phone number.
• A hammer and crow bar will be really handy.  And so will a spanner, polygrips, hacksaw, with spare blades of different coarseness and multi screw driver. These tools will get you out of most situations. You will be amazed at what a hacksaw can get through.
• Tie all heavy items against the shaking caused by earthquake.
• Supply of earthquake water. Best to install an emergency tank next to a downpipe. We have cheap tanks
• Stash a few dozen cans of food and canisters of water somewhere where if the building fell down you could get them.